Abbott pushes election deadline

THE people of Australia expect an election no later than August next year and would view any attempt to go beyond that as "cheating", Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has told the Coalition joint party room.

Mr Abbott welcomed his colleagues back from the six-week winter break, telling them they were now in the "home stretch".

But he cautioned against taking the party's strong position for granted, a reference to the Coalition's commanding lead in the polls.

He said given the 2010 election was held in August people expected it to be held within the three-year time frame.
Mr Abbott said people were "yearning for decent adult government".

In a sign Coalition MPs had resigned themselves to the current government going full-term, Liberal Party Deputy Leader Julie Bishop also spoke about an election deadline.

She referred to recent statements by Labor ministers suggesting the election would be held at the end of next year, telling Coalition MPs "We can't let them get away with that".

Ms Bishop said the public had set a deadline of August 2013 for the next election, which would be a referendum on the carbon tax.

A number of other key issues were canvassed during the party room meeting, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the National Broadband Network and cuts to defence spending.

But, not surprisingly, the findings of the Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers featured prominently.